Faith and Guidance Precedes the Miracle
by White Hunter
Summary: Here is the sequel of my story 'Believing is always Worth Seeing'. I hope you all enjoy this crossover story of 'Rise of the Guardians' and 'Voyage of the Unicorn'. R&R
1. Fooling around

Faith and Guidance precedes the Miracle

This is a crossover sequel to my story 'Believing is always worth seeing'. It will be a crossover of 'Rise of the Guardians' and 'Voyage of the Unicorn'. I hope you all enjoy the story and R&R to tell me what you think of it so far.

Summary

A month had passed since Ivy had become part of the Guardian family and she was happy to finally have a family, who loved her for who she was. But Ivy's adventures were far from over as she and her family get attacked by trolls. Ivy was only one to get away and in the process finds herself being part of a prophecy with a human family that she needed to protect. Through her journey with the human family, who Ivy will guide on their journey while helping to restore their belief in magic, she hopes to rescue her Guardian family members.

Prologue

Ivy's profile:

_It's been about a month since the day my life had changed from being a normal girl to becoming a Guardian apprentice. Life with the Guardians of Childhood is pretty good...if not complicated. There were a few ups and downs from time-to-time, but we always get through it together as a family._

_North had taken on the role of being my eccentric grandfather, who has a tendency to spoil me with gifts and sweets once in a while. He can be a little over bearing at times, but his heart is in the right place...and he can be a little over protective._

_Toothianna, the Tooth Fairy, had taken on the role of being my mother/sister. She would constantly fuss over me whenever there's a Guardian meeting or when I visit her at Tooth Palace. She would make sure that I have been taking care of my teeth, and that I was eating enough healthy foods. Tooth was always good company when it comes down to girl talks. There were things that I couldn't really talk about to the male members of my new family, so it was nice to have to have a female within the group to talk to._

_Sandy is the crazy uncle of the family. He would sometimes tell me funny stories about what had happened to him and the other older Guardian members in the old days. Way before me and Jack had joined the group. He's also a good listener and is good at keeping secrets. So, whenever I had a secret that I can't tell to the others, I can always count on Sandy to keep it._

_Bunny winded up becoming the older brother who was always looking out for me and Jack. Bunny would teach me a few fighting techniques to make sure that I was able to defend myself. Just encase I winded up fighting against hostile spirits that I might unexpectedly cross paths with. Bunny also teaches me about my ancestors' heritage and tells me how much he knew about them. Bunny can be a bit grumpy at times, but he's a softy when he wants to show his gentle side. I also see Bunny as a father figure as he would sometimes comfort me whenever I had a bad day or if I just need some quiet company._

_Baby Tooth and Fayette are the little sisters I never thought I would have. Baby Tooth was the more matured little sister, who tries to keep all of her other sisters in line. The reason for that is that her sisters would sometimes gain-up on Jack so that they could get a glance at the winter spirit's perfect white teeth._

_Fayette was the more adventurous little sister, who would take a break from her teeth collecting once in a while to follow me around for a bit. Fayette and I are really close, and if one of us had a problem then we'd try to help each other as best we could._

_And last, but certainly not least, was Jack Frost the prankster of the family. Jack became the middle brother of the family, who would once in a while play a couple of pranks on me when I least expect it. He can be kind of annoying at times, but Jack was always fun to hang around whenever I wanted to have a little fun. When I go to visit Jamie and Sophie in Burgess, I would find him visiting his believers as well. Jack was always the one I go to when I'm feeling down and I needed someone the cheer me up. Jack would sometimes talk me into pulling pranks on our family members, but I always made sure that I didn't get involved when it came down to pranking Bunny._

_It's taken a while for me to get used to being part of the Guardians' odd family, and I'm still getting used to being coddled or fussed over like a new born baby by North and Tooth. Being part of the family was a really big step for me, and I wasn't sure I would be able to fit in. But I was glad that I've met people, or in this case, spirits, who accepted me for who I am. I just hope that I would be able to become a Guardian one day to show them I'm able to help fight against another dark spirit, who would try to threaten the children again. What I didn't know was that I would be taken on an adventure all on my own to save not only them, but to help a family, who is chosen to stop an evil from leaking into the mortal world. I also need to help this family save the magical creatures that are being enslaved, and guide them back home. While also showing them the joy, wonder and dreams of this strange new world. I will also have to help them overcome the sad memories of their past, and to help keep their hope alive._

_My name is Ivy Ōkami and this is my story of how I learn to be a Guardian and Guide to a family who will sail across a magical world full of danger and wonder._

Chapter one: Fooling Around

It was a beautiful afternoon in the wild lands of Alaska as the warm wind of spring blew through the trees. The snow had almost melted off the ground and a few green plants were appearing throughout the forest. In a small clearing within the forest, two large figures were walking around as they were looking around each tree that they passed by. The two figures soon walked out into the sunlight to reveal themselves to be yetis. One of the yetis was a dark grey, while the other one was a light brown. They walked round the forest for bit before a cold wind suddenly replaced the warm breeze. A figure suddenly dropped down from out of nowhere as they landed lightly on the ground. The two yetis looked behind them in surprise. The figure, like the yetis before it, stepped out into the light of the sun to reveal themselves to be none other than Jack Frost, the spirit of winter.

"You find anything yet?" asked Jack with a light frown on his face.

The two yetis answered with a shake of their heads, which caused Jack let out a sigh of frustration.

"Keep looking," said Jack as he walked away from the two yetis.

The winter spirit soon came to a large clearing as he took in his surrounding with his body slightly tensed. It looked as if Jack was expecting to be pounced on at any moment.

"Come on, where are you?" whispered Jack quietly to himself.

Suddenly, Jack heard a snarl from among the trees behind him. He quickly turned around and shot a burst of ice and frost in the direction he had heard the snarl come from. Jack kept still for a second before he took a cautious step forward. Then, without warning, he found himself being tackled from behind. Jack rolled onto his back and was about to sit up, but was stopped by a heavy weight that gently, yet firmly pressed down on his chest. He soon found himself staring up into the smirking face of a large wolf, who just so happened to be his adopted sister, Ivy Ōkami.

"Got ya!" exclaimed Ivy with a chuckle.

She then lifted her head skywards and began to howl triumphantly towards the heavens above her. Jack playfully pouted up at his adopted baby sister before chuckling as he lay on the ground, while being pinned underneath her. Sometimes this would happen whenever they played with each other, and it would always wind up with him being pinned down by Ivy in the end. Jack was about to say something, but he was quickly interrupted when North suddenly shouted at him and Ivy.

"Alright, alright already! Knock off rough housing!" exclaimed North as he walked up to the duo with Tooth, Bunny and Sandy following behind him.

Ivy let out a groan of disappointment before she got off of Jack, and turned as she walked away a few steps away with an annoyed look on her face.

"Ivy!" exclaimed North in an exasperated voice, "How can we teach you to be a Guardian if you don't sit? You don't sit nowhere for five seconds!"

"Kind of like someone else we know." Bunny muttered with a smirk as he glanced towards Jack.

"Give me a break, Bunny." Jack said as he dusted himself off before picking up his staff, which had fallen out of his grasp from Ivy pouncing on him. "You should know by now that I go wherever the wind takes me."

Bunny rolled his eyes, while Ivy huffed in amusement before she changed back to her human form. Ivy still wore the cloths that North had given to her during their battle against Pitch a month ago. But unlike when she had first been recruited, Ivy looked cleaner and fitter than before.

Her hair was now clean and cleared of knots, and was now tied back into a low ponytail. Her face and hands were clean with no signs of dirt smudges on them, and she was gaining a bit of weight, along with some muscle. Ivy was fed and trained by the four Guardians, who wanted her to have a better life than when she had been living on the streets. Being under their constant care had made Ivy gain more confidence within herself, while also gaining a bit of a rebellious side thanks to her older brother Jack.

Ivy crossed her arms over her chest as she turned to face North with a light smirk on her face. She always made it a habit to correct North on his grammar whenever he gets his sentences wrong.

"That's 'Anywhere' North," Ivy corrected the Guardian of Wonder.

Jack chuckled along with Sandy and the two yetis that stood off a little to the side.

"What anywhere!?" exclaimed North as he threw his arms up into the air in frustration.

Tooth shook her head before she flew over to Ivy and placed a hand on the young girl's shoulder.

"Now, Ivy, don't go confusing North," chided the Queen Fairy gently as she gave the wolf-girl a light scolding. "He's only trying to help both you and Jack."

Ivy sighed as her shoulders slumped a little in exhaustion and exasperation.

"Tooth, I know you and the others are trying to help me and Jack become better Guardians, but North's lectures are getting more and more boring by the day." Ivy said with a tired look upon her face. "Furthermore, North is always bringing up Christmas within his lessons."

"Well of course I bring Christmas up in lessons!" exclaimed North in a prideful voice, "Christmas is a time of Wonder. As I always say..."

"Easter doesn't hold a candle to Christmas," drawled Ivy and Jack as the first teen rolled her eyes in annoyance.

"We know, but don't you think that you're being a little too boastful about your holiday, North?" asked Ivy in a tired voice.

North took on a thoughtful look for a moment before he answered with a shake of his head.

"No, I do not."

Ivy let out a frustrating sigh as Tooth let her hand drop from the teen's shoulder. Ivy then took a calming breath in before she tried to talk some sense into North.

"Okay, listen North, Christmas is 'Your' holiday. Not mine. The reason for that is because Christmas doesn't really fit my character."

"That's what I keep telling him," said Bunny as he walked up to Ivy before he stood in front of her. "But that's still no excuse for you to go running off before the end of your lessons, Wolf-pup."

"I know," sighed Ivy in a tired voice, "It's just that..."

"No more excuses," cut in North with a frim look upon his face. "It's time we go back to Workshop to finish your studies."

With that said, North pulled out one of his snow globes and whispered the name of their destination before throwing it to the ground. The globe broke and a bright flash of light appeared. The image of North's Workshop appeared for a brief moment before it turned into a vortex. North was the first one through the portal, before Tooth, Sandy and the two yetis following right after him, while Bunny, Jack and Ivy hung back to watch them. Ivy let out a sigh before she followed after the two yetis and three Guardians with Jack and Bunny following right behind her.

'_Yet another boring day of lessons with North._' Ivy thought quietly to herself.

To Be Continued

Here's the first chapter of my crossover story. Sorry that is so short, but I promise to try and make the next chapter a bit longer.

White Hunter, howling out to you and creativity!


	2. Rumors and Attack

Faith and Guidance precedes the Miracle

Here's the next chapter of my story. I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 2: Rumors and Attack

Ivy let out a sigh as she flopped down onto her bed within Bunny's warren. After the Guardians took Ivy on as an apprentice, they decided to give her and Jack bedrooms when either of the two needed to stay for the night, or needed to a quiet place to relax.

Ivy had decided to relax in Bunny's Warren after the long lecture that North had given her for running away from his lesson, while adding in her Guardian lesson that she needed to finish with him. Bunny's house within the Warren was built into a hill that looked out onto bright green land of the Guardian's home.

Ivy's bed was like a large nest with thick quilts, which Ivy buried herself in as she snuggle into their warmth. Ivy was more comfortable at Bunny's Warren than at any of the Guardians' homes, so she would often come and stay with him for a while. But she made a promise to not come around to visit or stay at the Warren when Easter came around, unless it was a serious emergency. Ivy knew how much Easter meant to Bunny and didn't want to burden him with her troubles, or interrupt him in his work.

Ivy let out a tired yawn and was about to fall asleep when she heard a knock at her bedroom door. She let out a groan as she slowly sat up to see Bunny opening the door and walking into her room, while closing the door behind him.

"Hey, Wolf-pup, you doing alright?" asked Bunny as he walked over to Ivy and sat down on the edge of her nest/bed.

"Yeah," replied Ivy with a weary smile as she sat up. "I'm just a little tired after such a long day."

Bunny let out a soft chuckle as he gently patted Ivy on the head.

"Can't really blame ya," said Bunny in sympathy. "North's a good bloke, but he can be a little over bearing at times. Though you did sneak away from your lessons to run off to Alaska by stealing one of North's snow globes, so I would say that North having you sit through the end of you lesson is a justified punishment. Along with helping the yetis making the toys for next Christmas."

"Yeah, I know," muttered Ivy with a sad frown upon her face. "I'm sorry that I ran off like that. It's just that...North expects me to know everything there is to know about being a Guardian. He wanted me to learn everything all at once, but I'm not that kind of person that learns about everything in one day. I'm still kind of new at this whole Guardian apprentice thing."

"I know, but don't forget that the Guardians and I are new at this teaching thing as well, Shelia," said Bunny with a smile. "This is the first time we've taken on an apprentice in over a century."

Ivy became quiet for a moment as she let her thoughts process what Bunny had said to her before she spoke again.

"Bunny...do you think I'll become a great Guardian like you and the others?" asked Ivy curiously in a soft voice.

Bunny sadly looked down at Ivy before he gently pulled her towards him to lean against this side.

"Ivy...the others and I were not always that perfect." Bunny softly said as Ivy looked up at him with a sad frown. "We completely cut ourselves off from human children as we became more focused on our work in making sure the children kept their belief in us. In the process we over looked or ignored you and Jack when you two needed us the most."

"I think Jack needed you guys more than I did, after all he's been alone a lot longer than I have." Ivy said as she let her head rest against Bunny's furry chest, while a smile came over her face. "All I wanted and wished for was to have a family that would accept me for who I am. And in the end, I winded up having you guys as my family and I'm grateful for that."

Bunny smiled down at Ivy as his heart grew warmer in happiness. Ever since Ivy and Jack came into the Guardians' lives, Bunny had began to see the young teenage girl as both a daughter and little sister. And when it came to Jack, Bunny saw him as an annoying little brother that would continuously get on his nerves once in a while. Yet, all-in-all, Bunny grew to like the winter spirit, even if he is too proud to admit it in front of the other Guardians.

He could still remember the day when MIM had chosen Ivy and Jack to be Guardians. Sometimes it felt like it was only yesterday to him. When he and the other three Guardians found out that the two teens were picked to be Guardians, Bunny hadn't been thrilled at the idea of having a human child and Jack Frost be a part of their group. Ivy was too young and didn't have any fighting experience, while Jack was an annoying winter spirit that messed up his egg hunts. But after getting to know them, Bunny found that Jack really did care about children and that Ivy was one tough fighter when it came down to fighting Pitch. It had been a total shock to the Guardians when they found out that Ivy was a Ōkami after their first encounter with Pitch. It was after discovering and getting to know Ivy that Bunny swore then and there that he would try, and help Ivy learn about her Ōkami Clan heritage.

Bunny gently rubbed his paw/hand up and down Ivy's right shoulder as they lapsed into a comfortable silence. Ivy leaned closer to Bunny's chest as she listened to the steady beat of his heart, and as she listened to it the young teen's eyes began to grow heavy. Ivy's eyes were just beginning to close as she grew closer to falling asleep on Bunny's chest when she was quickly startled awake by the door to her room being slammed open. Bunny snapped his head towards the door to glare at the intruder, who was none other than Jack.

"What are you doing in me Warren, Frostbite?" questioned Bunny in annoyance.

"It's North," answered Jack in a serious voice. "He wants everyone at the North Pole right away."

Ivy frowned as she and Bunny shared a look with each other.

"So much for relaxing," muttered Ivy.

The trio used one of Bunny's tunnels to quickly travel to the North Pole. Unfortunately, the tunnel entrances appeared ten yards away from the Workshop and the snow was so deep that it almost came up to Ivy's knees.

"Every time!" exclaimed Bunny as he wrapped his arms around himself to keep warm.

"What's the matter, Kangaroo? Can't handle a little cold?" asked Jack with a smirk.

"Now's not the time for joking around, Jack." Ivy said with a deadpanned expression upon her face. "Let's just get to the Workshop to see what North wants before Bunny and I freeze our toes off."

"Okay, okay," said Jack with a pout.

He called upon the wind to lift him up from the ground and carry him to North's Workshop before shouting over his shoulder.

"See you there!"

Ivy rolled her eyes before she changed into wolf form, which was the size of a small car. Ivy had been practicing her shape-shifting powers for a few weeks to see how big her wolf form could become. So far her wolf form only grew to be about the size of a small car, so she wasn't sure how big her wolf form can get...yet.

Ivy took off across the snow covered ground with Bunny hopping a few feet ahead of her, while shouting out a complaint along the way.

"I can't feel my feet!" shouted Bunny in distress, "I can't feel my feet!"

Ivy rolled her eyes in amusement, but did not comment on Bunny's distress. After about an hour of running, they soon reached the door to North's Workshop. Bunny gave the door a couple of hard knocks before it was opened by a yeti. Ivy let the Guardian of Hope go in first as she shrunk down to her normal wolf size before walking through the door. Once the yeti had closed the door, Ivy began to shake off the snow that clung to her fur. Some of the snow that flew off from her fur hit some passing elves in the face. Bunny and the yeti held their paws or hands up in front of their faces to keep the snow from flying into them.

"Steady on, Lass, no need to bring the outdoors indoors." Bunny said as he gave Ivy a look of displeasure after lowering his arms from his face.

Ivy stopped her shaking as she looked up at Bunny and the yeti for a moment. The yeti turned and grumbled something under his as the large creature walked away from them.

"Sorry," said Ivy with a sheepish smile after she shifted back into her human form.

Bunny only rolled his eyes at Ivy before he grabbed her by the back of her tunic and threw her onto his back. Ivy let out a startled yelp at the sudden action, and quickly clung to Bunny's shoulders as the Guardian of Hope took off down the hall, which lead to the meeting room.

"Every time!?" exclaimed Ivy in good humor.

Bunny only chuckled as he continued to run down the hallway. Once in a while, Bunny would throw Ivy onto his back and carry her around for a bit like he did the first time they met each other. It had become a habit for Bunny as he loved to carry his Ivy around on his back, but only if they needed to get somewhere fast.

It didn't take long for Bunny and Ivy to arrive at the meeting room where the others were waiting for them.

"Ah! Here you are!" exclaimed North as Bunny hopped up to the group.

"What took you so long?" asked Jack as he leaned against one of the chairs in the room.

"Sorry, had to shake the snow out of my fur." Ivy said as Bunny let her slip off his back.

"Yeah, and in the process got a few elves soaked too," added Bunny with a smirk.

Ivy gave Bunny a playful glare before Tooth flew up to her and hugged Ivy for a moment. The Queen Fairy then pulled back and began to fire off random questions that Ivy didn't have the chance to answer.

"Are you alright? You didn't catch a cold when you were out there, did you? How are your teeth, are you taking good care of them?"

Ivy let out a groan as Tooth poked her fingers into the young teen's mouth. Ivy shook off Tooth's fingers before glaring at her with her hands placed on her hips.

"I'm fine Tooth," said Ivy in exasperation. "Stop worrying so much. I'm not made of glass you know."

"I know sweetie, but I can't help but worry about you sometimes." Tooth said with a small smile as she flew back to give Ivy some space.

Ivy let out a sigh before she heard two familiar chirps. She smiled when she saw Baby Tooth and Fayette flying towards her as they excitedly chipped their greetings to her.

"Hey, girls," greeted Ivy as she held out her right hand to them.

Baby Tooth landed on Ivy's hand, while Fayette landed on the teen's left shoulder. Ivy smiled at the two fairies before she turned her attention on Sandy, who waved happily at her as he held a cup filled with eggnog within his left hand. He was floating near one of the tall pillars that had a small balcony for the elves within the Workshop. That was when Ivy noticed one of North's elves leaning over the balcony as it began to lap up the eggnog that Sandy had held near the pillar.

"Uh...Sandy," spoke Ivy as she pointed to Dream Weaver's cup with her free hand.

Sandy looked at Ivy curiously for a second before he turned his gaze to his cup, and frowned in displeasure when he saw the elf lapping at the eggnog within his cup. Sandy quickly pulled his cup away as the elf fell off the balcony and landed on the ground with a thud. Ivy let out a giggle along with Fayette and Baby Tooth before North cleared his throat to gain everyone's attention.

"Alright, now that everyone is here, we can get down to business!" spoke North in a booming voice as he took on a serious expression. "There is trouble blooming again."

At the word 'trouble' Ivy and the rest of the Guardians grew tense with concern.

"What's going on, North?" asked Jack in a tight voice.

"Something is stirring within the spirit realm," answered North as he paced in front of the group. "Something terrible I'm afraid. Rumors have been going around of spirits disappearing."

Ivy and the four Guardians looked between each other in shock at what North had said. Bunny's face hardened as he turned his eyes back onto North again.

"What do you mean spirits are disappearing?" questioned Bunny firmly.

"Is what I say," said North as he turned to look at his team members. "They just...vanished into air that is thin."

"There's got to be more to these rumors, North." Ivy spoke as she placed Baby Tooth on her right shoulder before taking a few steps forward. "Has there been anyone within the spirit realm that might have witnessed these disappearances?"

"No," replied North with a shake of his head. "These disappearances have been happening at random, and no one was there to witness it."

"Do you think these disappearances are Pitch's doing?" asked Ivy with a worried look on her face.

"Nah, it couldn't be him, Pup," spoke Bunny as he wave of dismissal with his right paw/hand. "We'd defeated that slime ball about a month ago. It would take a lot long for Pitch to get back to his full strength."

"Still, it could be possible," cautioned Ivy as she turned to look at Bunny. "Remember, you guy's told me once that you thought Pitch had gone out with the Dark Ages, but he winded up coming back in the end."

"That maybe so, but there's no way that he could've bounce back that fast after the whooping we gave him." Bunny argued as he crossed his arms over his furry chest.

Ivy let out a sigh while blowing a strand of hair out of her face.

"Okay, suppose you're right about Pitch not returning, then who or what else do you think it could be that is causing spirits to disappear without a trace?"

"Who or what doesn't matter," interjected North firmly. "All that I know is that something very bad is going to happen. I feel it"-North then leaned forward and placed his hands on his midsection-"In my belly."

Ivy frowned as she shared a look with Bunny and Jack before letting out another sigh.

"North...I have nothing against your gut instinct, but we need to have a lead on what is happening within the spirit world." Ivy said as she walked up to North and stood in front of him. "Haven't you ever heard of the phrase 'Look before you leap'? We can't just jump into action without-"

"Ivy, you are still young," interrupted North as he patted Ivy lightly on the head. "You still have much to learn about being a Guardian, and you can't always expect to have a plan without having a little gut instinct."

Ivy frowned as North walked away from her with a chuckle. Sandy floated over to Ivy and gently patted the young wolf-girl's left arm. Jack walked up to Ivy's right side to give her support before he spoke.

"Well...let's not forget that Ivy has shown to have a sixth-sense when it comes to predicting what will happen before it happens." Jack reminded the team as he placed a comforting hand on Ivy's back.

"Yes, yes," said North with a nod of his head. "But she still needs to work on her timing to warn us about what is to come with her future sight."

Ivy let out a growl of frustration when North brought up her future sight. Her future sight was the one thing that she hasn't mastered yet within her Guardians training. North's constant mention of it, while trying to help her improve it, was stripping Ivy down to her last nerve. Bunny was also annoyed that North would keep mentioning Ivy's future sight as well. Bunny had learned from Kiba a long time ago that when the first child born into the Alpha family gains their future sight, they'll need time and patience to get an understanding of their powers. Also the power of future sight was something that only happens when the bearer, who discovers this power for the first time, only gets them when they are asleep. It will take some time until Ivy is old enough to fully grasp her powers, and will be able to call upon her powers willing while being awake.

"North, Ivy is still too young to control her power yet," spoke Tooth as she flew up to North. "Remember what Kiba had told us when he first got his future sight?"

"Yes, I know," said North with a frown. "Which is why we should intense her training..."

"Intense my training?!" interrupted Ivy as she stared at North in shock and disbelief.

Baby Tooth and Fayette quickly flew off from Ivy's shoulders before flying over to their mother's side while they glared at the Guardian of Wonder in disapproval. Bunny quickly stepped forward as he protectively stood near his adopted sister.

"North, now's not the time or place to talk about Ivy's sightseeing powers right now." Bunny spoke with a look of anger and displeasure. "We need to figure out what's happening to the spirits that are disappearing."

"Yes, yes," said North with a wave of his right hand. "We do need to focus more on the rumors than anything else."

Ivy let out a sigh of relief before giving Bunny a grateful smile, which he returned with his own. Jack stepped forward as he ask North his own question.

"So...where have these disappearances been happening?"

North took on a thoughtful look as he began to think over Jack's question, while stroking his white beard.

"From the information that was given to me by other spirits, the disappearances have been happening in British Columbia, Richmond."

"That place?" questioned Jack as he shared a look with Ivy before turning his attention back onto North, "Are you sure?"

"I'm positive," answered North with a nod. "The ones who gave me this information are close friends of mine."

Ivy frowned as she thought over the information that North had shared with them. She then turned to look at the other Guardians.

"Do you think we should look into this?" asked Ivy with a serious expression, "I mean, if these rumors are true then maybe..."

North interrupted Ivy as he continued on with his ramblings.

"My friends have told me that they had heard of rumors about suspicious dark figures roaming around the streets of Richmond at night. They were told that the dark figures were wearing strange old cloaks made of leather, and fur of animals."

"Then how about we..." started Ivy, but North interrupted her once again.

"They tried searching for these strange figures, but so far they have not found any clue or seen any sign of them."

Ivy let out an exasperated sigh before she turned away from the group, and made her way to one of the couches within the room. She sat down with a huff as she crossed her arms over her chest, while she silently watched as North rambled on about what he had learned from his sources.

'_Well...he is the leader of the Guardians,_' thought Ivy. '_I'm just the baby of the family, so they're not going to listen to what I have to say._'

As North ramble on about what he learned, one of the Guardians, Sandy, noticed that Ivy wasn't with them. He turned to look behind him to see Ivy sitting on the couch that was far away from the group. Ivy gave Sandy a small wave before the little man made his way over to her.

"Hey, Sandy," greeted Ivy with a small smile as the Dream Weaver came to stand in front of her.

Sandy gave Ivy a light frown as a question mark appeared over his head as he ask the young teen what was wrong. Ivy let out a sigh as she turned her gaze towards the other Guardians. Bunny, Tooth and Jack continued to listen to North's rambling, while not realizing that Sandy and Ivy were absent from their group.

"I don't know," replied Ivy quietly as she looked back down at Sandy. "I guess it's just me being silly."

Sandy tilted his head curiously at Ivy before he motioned for her to continue on with her explanation.

"I've been thinking about what my roll is among the Guardians," explained Ivy as she turned her gaze up towards the beams of the ceiling. "I know I'm still learning about what it means to be a Guardian and what my center is, yet...I can't help but feel like I'm out of place here. After all, all five of you are much older than me, no offence."

Sandy waved a hand to show that he wasn't offended by what she had said, before Ivy continued on with her explanation.

"I feel like I'm being treated like a baby within the group, and that I'm not really...respected sometimes. Well...more like North doesn't seem to see me as part of the team. I know that all of you care about me, but it always feels like North's pushing me in my Guardian lessons with him. Both to be a strong Guardian like you guys and to have better control on my future sight powers."

Sandy nodded his head in agreement to what Ivy was telling him. North had been pushing Ivy harder than Bunny and Tooth when it came to the girl's training. Yet, Sandy knew that North was only trying to help Ivy in her studies. He told Ivy this through his sand pictures, which appeared above his head, while making sure that they were moving slowly so that Ivy could understand them.

"I know he's only trying to help, Sandy." Ivy said once she interpreted what the sand images mean. "I just wish that North wouldn't push me so hard in my training and-"

Ivy quickly cut herself off when she suddenly felt an ominous aura within the room as a cold shiver ran up her back. Her wolf ears quickly appeared on top of his head as Ivy sat up straight on the couch. Sandy noticed this and became concerned when Ivy stood up from the couch. Sandy floated out of the way as she started walking around the room with an intense expression upon her face. Sandy wasn't the only one who noticed Ivy's actions. Bunny, who had secretly been listening in on Ivy's conversation with Sandy, became curious about Ivy's abrupt silence. He turned around to see what was going on and saw Ivy wandering around the room with an alert look upon her face. The others noticed Bunny turning away from the conversation before they turned their attention on Ivy as well.

"Ivy?" asked Jack in concern.

Ivy didn't respond as she only looked around the room intently, before she stopped in her tracks. Ivy quickly turned her head upwards towards the rafters of the workshop. She began to growl as she began to slowly shift into her half-wolf form, while bearing her fangs into a snarl. Bunny and Jack also became tense, while North, Tooth and Sandy had expressions of worry and confusion.

"Ivy, what is-" started North.

He never got to finish his question as Ivy suddenly leapt high into the rafters, while swiftly shifting into full wolf form. When she did, Ivy collided with something that was hidden within the shadows and knocked it out of the rafters. The figure landed on the floor with a thud with Ivy standing over them while letting out a ferocious growl. The figure that Ivy knocked down from the rafters made the Guardians go on high alert.

Ivy, her wolf-form now the size of an adult tiger, pinned down a creature with black, distorted, skin. The creature wore ragged clothing made of different animal skins, flat leather boots and armor. In the creature's pinned right hand was a spear with animal teeth, which dangled where the spearhead was attached to the staff. The creature's face was grotesque and distorted with its nose hooked upwards, and long jagged teeth that grew out of its bottom jaw.

Ivy snarled at the creature that she had pinned to the floor, while the creature struggled to push Ivy off of its body.

"What in the world?" whispered North as he and the other Guardians stared down at the creature in shock.

That was when things became chaotic and the only warning the Guardians and Ivy had were the startled shouts of yetis. A war cry rang throughout the workshop as more creatures, like the one Ivy had pinned to the ground, ran or leaped out of the shadows. The creatures surrounded the Guardians and Ivy before they charge forward to attack them. Ivy was knocked off from the creature that she had pinned to the ground and was almost pinned to the floor by one of the creatures. But the creature was quickly thrown off of her by Bunny, who held a expression of rage.

"Keep your grubby hands off my kit!" shouted Bunny in fierce anger.

Ivy quickly shook herself before she began to participate in fighting the creatures that had invaded North's home. Ivy tore through the invaders ferociously, while gaining a few scratches in the process. Everything became a blur to Ivy as she fought with the creatures, but the confusion around her slowed when she felt familiar set of large hands grab her by the scruff of her neck. Ivy recognized that the hands belong to North instantly before she even caught his scent. She then felt North's the hands suddenly pulled her away from the fight, before she found herself falling into an open portal made by one of North's snow globes. As she fell through the portal, Ivy saw the four shocked faces of Jack, Sandy, Tooth and Bunny as they watched helplessly as she disappear into the portal. Ivy also saw North's face, which held an expression of sadness upon his features. The faces of her adopted family were the last things she saw before her vision turned dark...and she knew no more.

To be continued

Here you all go, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I hope you all leave a review to tell me what you think of it so far.

White Hunter, howling out to you and creativity!


	3. Meeting the Aisling Family

Faith and Guidance precedes the Miracle

Here's the next chapter of my story. I hope you all enjoy it.

Chapter 3: Meeting the Aisling family

Ivy didn't know how long she had been unconscious, but she slowly began to come around as her eyes started to flutter open. At first, Ivy's vision was a bit blurry, but her surroundings slowly came into focus after a few seconds. The first thing Ivy noticed was that she was lying on soft warm grass. Her first thought was that she was in Bunny's home, but one sniff from her nose told her that she wasn't in the Warren. Ivy let out a painful groan as she tried to move her body around to stand up. She succeeded in rolling over onto her stomach, but that was all that she could do.

'_Ugh...where am I?_' thought Ivy before her eyes caught sight of a wooden porch.

Ivy frowned in confusion before she slowly lifted her head up, and saw that she was in front of a two story house.

'_What the...how did I get here in a human family's backyard?' _thought Ivy in confusion before remembering what had happened back at North's Workshop. '_Oh, right...North activated one of his snow globe portals in the middle of our fight against those creatures that ambushed us. I got to get back and help the Guardians and once I get back, I'm going to give North a piece of my mind._'

Ivy once again tried to get up to her paws, after she realized that she was still in her wolf form. But that only caused Ivy to let out a whimper of pain as she fell back down onto her stomach. Ivy huffed out in frustration and was about to try again when she heard the backdoor of the house open. Ivy lifted her head up to see who was coming out of the house, and she couldn't help but blink in surprise.

The human that came running out of the house was a twelve year old girl with long dirty blonde hair and bright brown eyes. She was wearing a white pajama top and pink pajama bottoms. Covering the girl's pajamas was a pink plush robe that was tied to cover the front of the girl's body. The girl's hair was tied up into a low pony tail and it looked as if she had just gotten out of bed.

Ivy stared at the young girl curiously. She sensed that there was something strange about the child, but she wasn't sure what it was yet. The human girl stared at Ivy with wide eyes filled with wonder and excitement. Then, after a few moments of silence, the child spoke and what came out of the girl's mouth confused Ivy.

"You're real," voiced the girl in a whisper.

Ivy stared at the young girl for a moment before she felt the last bit of her strength leave her body. Ivy's head fell to the ground and her world became dark once again.

An hour later

Ivy once again regained consciousness as she slowly opened her eyes. Ivy's vision quickly came into focus and she saw that she was lying on a pile of old blankets and pillows. Ivy slowly lifted her head as she began to take in her surroundings. Ivy saw that she was in an average size room with many trinkets and items. Hanging down from the ceiling were four or five kites, each one differing in size, color and shape. Scatter all throughout the room were all sorts of items that sat, either on desks or shelves. The young she-wolf could only guess that this room was an art studio after taking a quick glance around. Ivy noticed a wooden desk and sitting behind the desk was the same girl that she had seen in the backyard.

The girl was looking down at something that sat on the surface of the desk. Ivy stared at the girl for a moment before she looked down at her body when she felt something wrapped around her sides, front right leg and left back leg.

'_That young girl must have wrapped up my wounds while I was unconscious,_' thought Ivy quietly to herself.

Ivy slowly moved her body to find a comfortable position before letting out a low growl of pain. Her growl quickly got the young girl's attention as the child shot her head up and turned to look in Ivy's direction.

"You're awake!" exclaimed the girl excitedly as she stood up from the chair.

The child quickly made her way over to Ivy before she knelt down in front of the she-wolf.

"I knew you'd be okay," said the girl with a smile.

Ivy stared at the child for a moment before glancing around the room again with a look of confusion on her face.

"Oh, you're in my house," said the child as she answered Ivy's silent question.

Ivy rolled her eyes before she looked at the girl and spoke in a sarcastic voice. "Yeah, I can see that."

The young girl let out a surprise gasp as she falls down onto her backside before she pointed a finger at Ivy in shock.

"Y-you...you can..." stammered the girl, but she wasn't able to get the words out of her throat.

"Talk? Yes, yes I can," said Ivy with a dull expression upon her face. "And don't point your finger at me like that, it's rude."

The girl quickly brought her hand down before sitting cross legged in front of Ivy. The child's face took on a look of amazement and Ivy couldn't help but be amused at the girl's sudden change of expressions.

"I'm guessing this is your first time seeing a canine talk, right?" questioned Ivy with a raised eyebrow.

The girl responded by nodding her head, while she was staring wide eyed at Ivy. Ivy couldn't help but smirk at the child's expression before she decided to get down to business.

"Okay, how about we skip passed this shocking discovery and start introducing ourselves?" Ivy said as she managed to shift into a more comfortable position. "So, since I'm the oldest here, I'll start the introduction first. My name is Ivy Ōkami, what's your name?"

"Um...My name is Cassie Aisling," said the child as she began to calm down and relax. "I'm the youngest daughter of Alan Aisling and little sister of Miranda Aisling."

"Nice to meet you," said Ivy with a soft nod. "Now tell me, what did you mean when you said that I was real after you found me in your backyard?"

Cassie smiled before she quickly stood up and walked back over to the desk that she had been sitting at a second ago. Ivy watched as Cassie grabbed a large book off from the desk, and carried it over to the she-wolf. Ivy then realized that the book Cassie was holding was not just an ordinary book. It was actually a large art book, which held beautiful and realistic drawings upon its pages. The drawings within the book looked so real to Ivy that she could almost imagine them coming alive in front of her at any moment.

'_Whoever drew these drawings has a real talent that can rival Bunny's art.' _Ivy thought with a smile as Cassie flipped to the next page within the art book to the one that she was looking for.

Ivy's eyes widened when she saw the drawing that Cassie had found within the book. It was a drawing of her, both in her human form and wolf form. In the drawing, Ivy saw herself in human form with the ghostly image of her wolf form floating above her. Another reason Ivy realized that the drawing was of her is the medallion, which hung around her image's neck. Ivy turned her eyes on Cassie with an amazed expression upon her face.

"Cassie...who exactly drew these drawings?" asked Ivy with a light frown.

Cassie's excited smile changed into a sad frown as she looked down at the book that she held within her hands.

"My mom drew these pictures…before she died," answered Cassie in a sad voice.

Ivy sadly stared at Cassie as her ears lowered down slightly on top of her head.

"I'm sorry," said Ivy softly in sympathy as she bowed her head slightly before she looked up at Cassie again. "She must have been both a great artist and a wonderful mother to both you and your sister."

Cassie gave Ivy a sad smile before she turned to the next page within the art book. When she did, Ivy's eyes widened once again at what she saw on the next page. Drawn on the paper's surface were the five Guardians of Childhood. They were all drawn in a fighting pose as they all stood together with confident expressions upon their faces.

'_Cassie's mother must be special in some way if she knew about me and the Guardians,_' thought Ivy quietly to herself. '_Could she be one of those rare adults that still believe in the Guardians?_'

Ivy had learned about how some adults still believe in the Guardians through Bunny, who had been teaching her what to expect if she ever encounter something out of the ordinary. He told her how rare it was to find an adult that was able to believe in other worldly beings or creatures of fantasy. He also told her to be cautious around those types of adults for they might lash out at her in fear if they ever discovered what she really was.

"My mom showed this picture to me and my sister a few days ago," said Cassie as she pointed to the drawing in the book. "I don't really know who those people are, but my mom told me that they would always be with me and my sister, even if we aren't able to see them."

Ivy frowned thoughtfully for a moment before smiling slightly as she looked up at Cassie again.

"Cassie, do you have a strong belief in anything?" questioned the young Ōkami in a gentle voice.

Cassie looked at Ivy with a befuddled expression before answering in a slightly unsure voice.

"W-well, I believe in magic."

Ivy hummed with a slight nod of her head before asking Cassie another question, just to confirm if the child still believed in the Guardians of Childhood.

"Do you still believe in childhood fantasies? Like...Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy and the Sandman?"

Cassie stared at Ivy with a light frown upon her face before she thought over the question that the she-wolf had asked her. After a moment of thinking, Cassie answered Ivy's question.

"I...I kind of do, but Miranda would always tell me to grow up, and she would always say that they're just make believe."

Ivy let out a soft chuckle before she spoke. "Well...let's just say that your sister is wrong about the Guardians not being real."

Cassie looked at Ivy in confusion before the she-wolf looked down at the picture of the Guardians again before glancing back up at the young girl in front of her. Ivy raised her left paw up and pointed at the picture in the book before she spoke again.

"These characters that your mother had drawn inside her art book are actually the Childhood Legends that every child believes in."

Cassie stared at Ivy in disbelief before taking a quickly glance down at the drawing.

"Really?"

Ivy smiled as she nodded her head at Cassie. She was about to say something else when her ears suddenly picked up on the sound of the front door opening downstairs. Cassie also heard the sound of the door being open as well as she glanced towards the door.

"That must be Miranda or my dad," said Cassie before she turned to look at Ivy again. "I'll be right back, okay?"

Cassie made a move to stand up, but Ivy quickly stopped her.

"Cassie," spoke Ivy as she gently as she placed her front left paw on the young girl's right knee. "I think it's best that you don't tell your dad and sister about me being able to talk."

Cassie gave Ivy a confused expression and the young she-wolf began to explain.

"I don't think your family will believe you if you told them about me being able to talk, and I don't want to have too much attention drawn towards me."

A dishearten expression appeared on Cassie's face as she reluctantly nodded her head in agreement. Ivy gave Cassie a sad smile of apology before she let the young girl go. She watched as Cassie placed the art book back on the table again before she left the room, and headed downstairs to greet either her dad or sister. Ivy let out a sigh as she lowered her head and rested it on top of her front paws again. She let her mind wander as she thought back to what had happened in North's Workshop. When she did, Ivy couldn't help, but worry about her adopted family. Were they alright? Were they fighting off those creatures that had attacked them without warning? Were they able to escape from those creatures, and are now looking for her?

'_I hope it's the last one,_' thought Ivy with a light frown.

Ivy continued to let her thoughts wander for a bit until she heard the sound of feet coming up the stairs.

'_Sounds like Cassie's bringing up either her dad or sister to come check on me._' Ivy thought as she raised her head up from her paws.

Ivy watched as Cassie walked into the room and the young she-wolf saw that it was neither her dad or sister...it was both of her family members. The first one to follow Cassie into the room was a young fifteen year old girl with the same colored hair as Cassie, but her hair grew down to her shoulder blades, and light blue eyes that held a deep sadness within them. She was wearing a short sleeved blue shirt, a green opened sweater jacket, blue jeans and white socks.

Following behind the older sister was a man that looked to be either in his thirties or forties. He had short brown hair and grey blue eyes that held a deep loneliness within them. He was wearing a brown jacket with a white buttoned up shirt underneath, brown pants, white socks and a grey/brown necktie.

Ivy raised an eyebrow up in amusement when Cassie's sister and father stared at her in shock and surprise. The older girl, whom Ivy could only guess was Cassie's sister, was the first one to speak after a moment of silence.

"Cassie...where did you find this dog?"

Ivy frowned in annoyance at what Cassie's older sister, Miranda, had just called her.

'_Well that's just insulting,_' thought Ivy with a huff. '_Can't she tell the difference between a wolf and a dog?_'

"I found her in the backyard," answered Cassie as she walked over to Ivy and sat down beside her on the floor. "She was injured, so I brought her inside to patch up her wounds."

Cassie's father, Alan, let out a sigh as a tired expression appeared on his face before he spoke.

"Cassie, I know that you're only trying to help this dog, but you can't just bring a stray into our house."

"I know Daddy," said Cassie. "But she's actually really gentle and I'm sure she won't cause any trouble. Please, daddy, let her stay with us. Just until her wounds heal."

Alan let out another sigh before he turned his eyes on Ivy. The young she-wolf gazed back at him with her best puppy-dog eye expression. Ivy had learned this trick from Sophie when she had decided to visit the young child a few days ago. Sophie had used the same puppy-dog eyes on her brother, Jamie, to get him play with her in a game of hide-and-seek in their backyard. Ivy could only hope that this trick would work on Cassie's father in letting her stay for a while to heal from her injuries. Alan stared intently at Ivy for a few seconds before he let out a defeated sigh.

"Alright, Cassie, she can stay with us for a couple of days." He said before he quickly added when he saw his daughter's excited face. "But she will be your responsibility until we can find her owners. Do you understand?"

"You got it dad," said Cassie with a smile. "I'll take really good care of her, I promise."

Miranda stared at their father in disbelief before turning away in an angry huff. She quickly walked out of the room and towards her bedroom with Alan following behind her. Ivy and Cassie watched them leave before the younger sister threw her arms around Ivy's neck. Ivy blinked in surprise before she smiled and began to nuzzle the side of her head against Cassie's cheek. As she did this, Ivy let her thoughts wander once again to the safety of the Guardians. She couldn't help but worry about her adopted family and hoped that they were okay.

'_I need to get back to them as soon as I can,_' thought Ivy with determination. '_But how do I get back to the Workshop? I don't have a snow globe and I can't access any of Bunny's tunnels._'

Those stray thoughts caused Ivy's heart to drop within her chest. She could only hope that her family members were alright, and that they had escaped from those creatures that had attacked them.

'_Please...let them be safe,_' pleaded Ivy as a lone tear ran down her cheek.

Luckily, Cassie didn't notice for she was too excited about Ivy staying with her.

To be continued


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